Final Moving Day

First night in my new place, and admittedly today has been more hectic than I thought possible. Managed to chat with both my Dad and a friend in Cali while packing frantically as my friend Nabe went to pick up his company’s car. Thank God he did. I don’t want to imagine trying to lug the 70 lb. +/- suitcase plus boxes and bags I’d commandeered for the purpose of carrying my stuff in (it breeds in this country you know.

So, after running a little late, he got me at noon and we headed to Ogikubo. It only takes about 20-30 minutes to drive it apparently, and he was nice enough to help lug the bulk of my stuff up the stairs to the apartment. I didn’t bother to unpack as we jumped back into the car and headed to his workplace by the station to drop it off, and then off to Seiyu Dept. in Ogikubo Station. Stopped by Saizeriya and had the Doria from heaven, and then hit the 100yen shop and Seiyu for things like curtains, bath mats, trash can, and splurging on a bookcase style shelf (I had to have one! My family can tell you). This actually took two trips up and down the floors to do it. Trekked back to my apartment to build the damn thing and then back out to Kichijoji to check out lighting at Loft and Yodobashi Camera, since my room had none. We ended up walking all over Kichijoji, and I really wish I hadn’t chosen to break in my new sneakers this way. My old marathon ones were retired this morning with an honorable burial and thrown out with the burnable trash as I’ve walked through the rubber and almost through the inner soul... made it interesting in Oxford as I think that is when the rubber was almost gone.

Lighting at both Yodobashi and Loft was way too expensive, but we did hit the Namco arcade on the basement floor of Loft and I got to play the Taiko game (think beat mania or ddr with Japanese taiko drums. LOVE!) while Nabe blew his cash on UFO catcher crane games. There is something very gratifying to playing “Tank” (the theme song to Cowboy Bebop) in Taiko.

Headed back to Seiyu once again for my second set of curtains and my light (light was so cheap! 3,500yen! The curtains were more expensive than that) and then threw it all in a coin locker to head to Asagaya to find the Ward Office I have to go to tomorrow to get my address changed on my Alien Card. Need to figure out where the heck to get a multi-entry permit for Japan too, since my business is talking about sending me out to a convention in California in November (yes!). Traveled around Asagaya and ended up at this little italian place where I got the parmiagianno. Between Doria at lunch and parmiagianno at dinner, I think I’ve had it with cheese with rice for a while.

Stopped at bookoff enroute for manga and then headed to my place where Nabe was nice enough to install the ceiling lamp (considering I’m not tall enough.

So there it is, I’m all moved in. Need to get a laundry basket, cabinet, tv, and desk, but this will work I think.